Duet
by ilsesjournal
Summary: Duets are meant for singers, not scouts fighting titans.


_Note: written for Rivamika week, day 4._

Summary:Duets are meant for singers, not for scouts fighting titans.

If titans were mice, then Mikasa was a cat.

—-

"_A seven meter, to the left! Ackerman, it's all yours!"_

"Already on it," she called back from midair. She spun, once, twice, blades clutched in her thin hands, and sliced easily through the beast's neck. Mikasa's gear latched onto the roof of a nearby building and she landed on her feet with perfect balance, thanks to a honed technique.

"Good job, Ackerman." _The Lance Corporal._

She spun on her right heel, eyes glaring daggers into the short man's face. "Thanks," she replied dryly.

The Lance Corporal smirked. "I guess I picked the right soldier to fight alongside me, eh? It's an honor, really. Try to act like it."

She glared at him through dark eyelashes, his words startling her. "My apologies, sir." Her voice was a bland as unflavored chicken.

Levi eyed her suspiciously, then smirked again. "Whatever, Ackerman. Let's just get back to base.

"Hey, Mikasa! Come over here!"

Mikasa stopped and turned around slowly as her adoptive brother called out to her. "What is it, Eren?"

Eren dashed over to her, running at full speed. Just as he almost crashed into Mikasa, the girl sidestepped and Eren slid past her. He spun on his heel, a grin plastered on his face. "I almost crashed into you! Sorry." His sister shrugged, and he continued. "Anyway, the Lance Corporal wants to talk to you."

Mikasa scowled. "Ugh. Alright, let's go."

Eren shook his head vigorously. "Oh, no. No, no , no. Her wants to speak to you alone. Ooooooh." His eyebrows shot up, then fell. "I'll walk you to his office, though."

Mikasa shook her head. "No. I'll go alone." _What could he want? _She set off towards his office.

—-

Levi's head shot up as his office door swung open, his eyes widening in shock. "Hey, hasn't anyone taught you children to knock?" When greeted with the sight of an enraged Mikasa, he scoffed. "Ackerman, no surprise. Were you raised in a barn?"

Her face paled, and Levi knew he had crossed a line. "Mikasa, I'm sorry. I didn't mean.." he trailed off as she inhaled deeply.

"Forget about it. What did you want?" Her dark eyes seemed to pierce right through his skull.

Levi's eye twitched. "Well, see.. It's great having you as a partner. It really is." Sarcasm dripped from his voice like water from a leaky pipe. "But, I'm getting tired. Every titan is the same, really. You spin, twirl, slice its neck open, and then it's done. And maybe that's enough for some people, but scouts as skilled as the two of us need something more."

Mikasa opened her mouth, about to interrupt him, when he spoke again. "So, instead of us fighting apart, what if we fought.. together? As an actual team? Like we both take on the same titan at once, and one of us distracts it while the other finishes it?" Levi regarded her warily, wondering how she would take his proposal.

The younger scout glanced at the ground. _He has a point.. I am getting tired of fighting the same way. _"I guess…" _But it does sound risky._

Levi smirked at her. "Mmm, good. I knew you'd see it my way. So, from now on, taking those wretches down will be a team effort? A.. what do you call it?"

"A duet?" she answered blandly.

"Ah, yes. A duet." His voice was filled with arrogance. "I can't wait. I'm so excited, honestly."

Mikasa's eyes narrowed. "Is that all?"

Levi nodded. "You're dismissed, _teammate._"

As she walked out, Mikasa made sure to slam the door extra hard.

—-

"Ready, teammate? There's a 14-meter class coming up on the right."

Mikasa's eyes flicked to the monster, then back to Levi. "Yes, Corporal."

He nodded. "Remember the plan, okay? You distract it, but I'll put it out of its misery." At Mikasa's nod, the Lance Corporal took a running leap off the building and in the direction of the target. Mikasa sighed and quickly followed, her eyes darting between Levi and the titan.

She spun around the monster, air flying through her raven hair. As she passed its left arm, the titan took a lazy swing at her. _Too slow! _A grin spread across her face and her left arm shot out, slicing off a few of its fingers. _Hah!_

Her head turned as her heart exploded with pride. She felt _alive, _truly alive, as the buildings and the wind rushed past her. Her eyes darted to the side, searching for the Corporal. _Where —_

The air around her suddenly froze and the blood roared in her ears as she hurtled to a stop. _What? _Her eyelids closed for a long second before opening once more. Her head turned towards the ground, a good 11 meters below her. Slowly, her gaze trailed up, and her dark eyes made contact with the blank orbs of a titan. It held her 3d maneuver gear between its thumb and forefinger, eyeing her cautiously. Mikasa clutched her blades in her hands, eyes wide. _No.. no! This can't be the end._

Her eyes squeezed shut, then sprung open. _It cannot end like this. _Her dark eyes scanned the scenery. _Where is he?_

"Corporal! Levi!" She screamed into the empty air. _Where is he? He's not.. oh, no. He can't be.. is he?_

She yelled his name again. then a third time, then stopped. Her eyes watered as she mind raced for a way to fight back. _There's no way.._ She closed her eyes as she felt the titan's hand lift her higher into the air. She smelled the scent of death on the titan's breath as its teeth opened and she was brought closer to its mouth. She felt its teeth scrape her flesh. _My.. arm.. _She pushed the pain out of her mind, inhaled slowly, and waited for the end.

—

Something whizzed past her and she heard the titan let out a screech. Her eyes opened for a second, seeing the midevening sky above her, and they closed once more. The titan's grip loosened and she felt herself hurtling towards the ground at an alarming speed.

_Goodbye._ Her mind barely completed the thought before she stopped, caught in unfamiliar arms.

—

His arms shook as he held her, his eyes wide and wild. She would have looked almost peaceful if it wasn't for the crimson blood staining her face and the chunk of flesh missing from her arm. Her eyes were closed, yet he knew she was alive from the rise and fall of her chest. Levi fell to one knee, kneeling on the dirty pavement. The realization that she had nearly died, that she had almost met her end, was too much for him to bear. And it was all because of him, all because he had to suggest that she be reckless and distract a titan.. Self-loathing bloomed in his heart as he looked down at her. _I can't believe.. it was almost over. And it was all my fault. _His eyes watered and he blinked the tears away; he leaned down slowly and pressed his lips to her forehead.

—-

_It's dark. Everything is dark._

Mikasa Ackerman had been stuck behind her closed eyelids for.. How long? She didn't know. _There's no time here, no sense of direction._

She felt as though she was falling, falling forever, until the day that the sun failed to rise. She felt a hand on hers - or was it imagination? - and she screamed. _Maybe I'm dead, _she thought. The darkness vanished and she suddenly saw, saw herself nearly dying, nearly _dead —_

"_Levi!" _she called into her own mind, but no one answered and the vision closed, leaving her shaky, cold, and in darkness once again.

—-

She opened her eyes.

She was in bed, an unfamiliar bed, in an empty room. It was nighttime, judging by the room's darkness. A lone lantern sat on the bedside table, a small circle of light surrounding it. She saw a figure in the darkness —

"Mikasa," he said, coming closer, taking her hand in his. "I.. how are you? You almost.. I'm sorry.. it's all my fault."

Her eyes drifted to her arm, then to Levi's face, hidden in shadow. "I think I'm okay.." She blinked at him, and he hung his head in shame.

"Mikasa.. I'm sorry. I.. just wanted to fight with you, to have you as a true teammate. This will never happen again." His voice was empty.

She looked at him and blinked slowly. "Do not worry about it. I'm not mad at all.." she trailed off and looked up at him, her mouth in the shape of an _o. _"Why would you want to fight with me? I mean.. really."

Levi turned his head away and coughed. "You haven't noticed, have you?" At Mikasa's head shake, he continued. "I've.. I've been, um, in love with you for a long time now." He stopped and his eye twitched.

Mikasa felt her cheeks get hot. "Ah, is that so?"

Levi nodded. "But! You don't have to reciprocate it. Really.."

"But I do," she murmured quietly. "I do."

His eyes widened, and he turned his face back towards her. "Do you?" She nodded and he smiled gently. "Oh.. I didn't expect that.."

Mikasa cut him off. "Thank you for saving me," she said, her voice gentle and quiet. She clutched Levi's hands in hers, and a small smile spread across her face. He nodded, and she continued. "But, one more thing."

"Yes?" He asked.

"Duets are for singers, not scouts." She grinned as the words left her mouth, and Levi smiled too. "And when we're together, from now on, you can't call it a duet."

Gently, he kissed her hand, still smiling, and nodded.

—-

_Written over the course of quite a few days, but finished on October 16, 2013._


End file.
